


Cancer Boy

by GingerKittyCat



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Cancer!Nico, F/M, M/M, bear with me, idk - Freeform, im not sure where im going with this, this may be sad
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-02-23
Updated: 2014-03-02
Packaged: 2018-01-13 12:26:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,858
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1226188
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GingerKittyCat/pseuds/GingerKittyCat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's been months since Nico's visited Camp, but when he finally appears, he bears bad news: he's developed cancer. Hoping to finally keep his promise and look after Nico, Percy offers to take care of him. A lot can happen between three and five years - the estimated survival rate for Nico's cancer - and surprises await around every corner.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Bad News

**Author's Note:**

> Hello my fellow demigods and mortals :3 I've been unable to write for a while now, but since I've finally found some time, I decided to get started on this. I've had the idea for a while, though I had only thought up what cancer Nico had and that Percy was to look after him. I have absolutely no idea where this is going, so please bear with me. 
> 
> This chapter is only short, but hopefully the next ones shall be a lot longer. 
> 
> Sorry for any and all grammar, spelling and punctuation errors. Correcting them or pointing them out would be very much appreciated. I'm also really sorry if they're out of character at all.

"I have something to tell you guys." Nico mumbled softly. His face was a sickly pale, his cheeks sunken and his dark eyes glassy. He was leaning to ne side of his chair, his head resting against his shoulders like he could barely support it. All in all, he looked exhausted, ironically, like death.

"What is it?" Hazel asked timidly, her expression full of worry. She picked at her fingernails nervously and Frank took her hand, giving her a gentle smile. It had been months since she'd seen Nico and then he'd suddenly appeared out of nowhere looking terminally ill. His whole body was unnaturally thin like he'd skipped all his meals for weeks.

"Last week, I, um, I went to the hospital." He took a deep breath, summoning his courage. "The radiation and chemicals in the Underworld haven't exactly had the most pleasant effect on me. I've- Well-" Nico closed his eyes again and inhaled sharply. The constant need to stop suggested that maybe he wasn't just gathering his courage, but that he was just without energy. He opened his eyes again and glanced at Hazel, leaning forward weakly and placing his fingertips on hers. "There's no easy way to say this, Hazel." 

She pursed her lips, thinking for a moment. "Just tell me."

"I've been diagnosed with Myeloma Cancer." He whispered. Hazel blinked, processing the information. Tears flooded her wide eyes as she wrapped her arms around her half-brother. Her shoulders started shaking as she tried to stop herself from crying, but she couldn't. Her brother had cancer. Her brother might die.

"Oh my gods, Nico." Annabeth gasped. Until that moment, Nico had forgotten about the others in the room. They had all gathered together in one room to hear Nico's news, but he'd blocked out the others and just focused on his sister. 

"Nico?" Percy mumbled, his voice trembling. 

"I'm so sorry, Nico." Hazel sobbed, pulling away from her half-brother and wiping at her eyes. She placed a hand on his face and let her fingertips slid down his cheek. 

"What are the chances of survival?" Jason asked, his throat tight. 

"Not good. I, um, I have between 3 and 5 years at best." 

"But you could beat it, right? We could use ambrosia or nectar and you're a demigod. You could defeat it." Piper said gently. In her mind, she was also thinking about how effective her charm speak could be.

Nico shook his head. "It can't cure things like this."

"Who's going to look after you?" Hazel asked anxiously. She was back to biting and tearing at her fingernails. "You clearly can't look after yourself, Pluto wouldn't show that kind of favouritism and Persephone has no love for his children. I'd look after you myself, but I have a quest that's been interrupted and it's important that it has to be finished." 

"I'll look after him." Percy volunteered, raising to his feet and rubbing the back of his neck with one hand. "I haven't-" he faltered, swallowing- "I haven't been a very good friend to Nico and he doesn't deserve that. I always promised to watch out for him and I'm going to do that now as he obviously needs someone to look after him." 

"Percy-" Annabeth started.

"No, I'm going to look after him." Percy locked his eyes with the younger boy's, his heart clenching at the sadness in Nico's expression. "You're going to live with me until you beat it." 'Or it beats you,' a voice in his head added.

"Percy, no-" Nico began to object, but Hazel interrupted him.

"Nico, someone needs to look after you. You can't drop a bombshell like this and go on pretending that you're okay. You look like death." Her voice was thick and tears sparkled in her eyes again. "Please." She begged.

"Fine." He mumbled, lowering his head. His eyes closed again and Hazel kissed his cheek. 

"Mrs O'Leary and I shall shadow-travel you and Percy to his house and then you can go from there. It'll save your energy and then I'll at least be able to help." 

Percy met Hazel's eyes and nodded greatfully. She smiled in a return - a small, sad smile.

"Thank you. Both of you." Nico whispered, his arms wrapped around himself in what seemed like a hug.


	2. The Beginning of Trials, Pain and Disney Films

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You're really serious about this?"
> 
> "Yes! Mom, I've failed to protect him so many times. I can't let him down now, not when..." His voice trailed off and he glanced downwards, trying not to think about the inevitablility of Nico's death.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good Morning fellow demigods and mortals :3 This seemed like the only opportunity I'd have to finish and upload this and by uploading this, I'm probably going to be late for school. I'm not really too fussed at the moment. I'd much rather upload this. If I do find time, the next chapter will be uploaded (hopefully) next week. Until then, have fun :3 
> 
> Edit: I noticed some mistakes when rereading this so I sorted this out and then lengthened it a bit as it didn't seem long enough. It's not much longer as I have to learn my French speaking for tomorrow. I'd rather not, but I'll fail my French otherwise :s 
> 
> Oh, and thank you guys for the continued support through kudos, bookmarks, comments and hits. It really means a lot to me. 
> 
> Sorry for any and all grammar, spelling and punctuation errors. Correcting them or pointing them out would be very much appreciated. I'm also really sorry if they're out of character at all.

"Percy, you don't have to do this." Sally Jackson said gently after Percy explained the situation to her. She was perched on the living room chair with Percy stood before her, his hand on the back of his neck. Her hands were folded in her lap and she was biting the corner of her lip.

"Yes, I do. If it's too much hassle here, I guess I could apply for a house at Camp Jupiter and look after him there. He doesn't have his own home and he can't be alone. He needs someone to watch over him and I want to do it. I need to."

"You're really serious about this?"

"Yes! Mom, I've failed to protect him so many times. I can't let him down now, not when..." His voice trailed off and he glanced downwards, trying not to think about the inevitablility of Nico's death. Sally immediately understood, looking at her son with sympathy.

"He can stay here, but I'm not sure where he can stay."

"I'll give him my bed and sleep on the couch. Or I can camp on the floor in my room."

"As long as you're sure about this."

"I'm positive." Percy said loudly, hoping to sound confident. He moved towards Sally, planting a kiss on her cheek. "Thanks, Mom."

/

"Do you have any medication yet?" Percy asked Nico, laying a blanket over the younger boy. The latter was leaning against the headboard of Percy's bed, dressed in skull-printed pyjamas and a plain black t-shirt. His face was unnaturally pale and he smelled faintly of blood, sweat and, strangely, barbecue.

Nico scowled, disapproving of the treatment he was being given. He preferred to be an individual and rely on no-one, certainly not Percy Jackson. "Thalidomide and Dexamethasone." He replied bluntly, though it didn't have the same effect between yawns. "And Iron Supplements for the Anaemia. I also have to go to the medical oncologist in two days to be put on Chemotherapy."

"I'll go with you." Percy said simply, raising his hand in the air before Nico could object. "And I'll get you some water so you can take your medication."

"I can still move, Percy. I'm not a baby." Nico growled, hauling himself forward and stumbling to his feet. He winced at a stabbing pain in his back, shooting up his spine. Gritting his teeth, he dug him non-existant fingernails into the sides of his legs, attempting to distract himself. It felt like someone had stabbed a sword through the very bone, causing it to ache and moan.

Percy's face flashed with worry as Nico screwed up his face, fighting the agony. He darted towards him, grabbing the younger boy's arms and not releasing him, even when he attempted to recoil. "Sit down, Nico. I'll get some water and your medication. My guess is that it's in the bag Hazel helped you pack."

This time Nico didn't object and he collapsed backwards onto Percy's bed, scrunching himself up into a tight ball in hopes to escape the pain. An invisible person must have been dragging his sword up and down his spine, slicing off layers. Never before had Nico even imagined that bones could ache, yet his spinal bone was throbbing.

When Percy returned, his friend had his face buried in his pillow, tears rolling down his colourless face. Percy winced at the sight, his heart aching as he knew there was nothing he could do. With shaking fingers, he poked Nico, hoping he wouldn't hurt him. The younger boy fidgeted for a moment before moving upwards, his whole expression screaming with pain. Percy timidly passed him the glass of water and medication packets, unsure which was which.

Nico fumbled with the larger packet, taking out a single tablet and swallowing it without the water. His trembling hands bought the glass to his mouth and he sipped the water, his teeth gripping against the brim as he tried to push away the pain. When he eventually pulled it away from his mouth, the slippery surface slid through his quavering fingers and landed on Percy's carpet with a smash.

"I- I'm so sorry." Nico stammered. He gritted his teeth, clenching and unclenching his fists, tears spilling down his face. Percy couldn't stand it. He'd never seen Nico this distressed. It was physically hurting him. He wanted to do something, anything, but he felt paralysed by fear. What could he do?

"Don't be." Percy said softly. "I'm just sorry this is happening to you." He added, sitting down beside Nico. Carefully, Percy edged closer to his friend and placed his arms around him, trying for a comforting hug. For once, Nico didn't recoil or push him away. He fell into Percy, his whole body trembling with fear and pain. "You can beat this, Nico." 'You've got to,' his brain added.

At least an hour passed before Nico's pain ebbed away and, by this point, the poor boy was exhausted. His eyes drooped and every time he blinked, he seemed like he wasn't going to open them again. His head was still balanced against the front of Percy's shoulder and his arms were bundled into his own chest. With one last blink, Nico slipped into a dreamless sleep, the exhaustion finally overpowering him.

A small smile spread across Percy's lips when he glanced down to see his friend napping on him. Refusing to disturb him, Percy fidgeted slightly and moved himself backwards, leaning against the wall and staring at the ceiling. Now he was comfortable and wouldn't need to move. Probably. He just hoped he wouldn't need to pee anytime soon.

Closing his eyes, Percy hummed a tune to himself. He was trying and hoping to shut his brain off so he could sleep too, but he couldn't. His thoughts were racing and refusing to slow down. He was terrified about what would happen to Nico and the sight of his pain-filled expression was etched into his mind. It made his chest hurt; Nico didn't deserve to find more sadness, heartbreak and pain after everything he'd been through, yet that seemed to be all he was receiving. Percy wished he could do something to help - he would literally do anything - but he couldn't. He was useless. Helpless. Stranded to watch.

Reciting Finding Nemo lines to himself, Percy finally managed to tear his brain away from the matter at hand and settle it down. Soon after, he drifted into a deep sleep, dreaming of Dory, Nemo and Marlin.

/

Percy awoke at early hours in the morning, though it was at least light outside, pleased to discover that Nico was still sleeping. He carefully nudged Nico aside, placing a blanket over him in hopes to stop his shivering. Shaking his head softly, Percy strolled through the door, carefully avoiding the glass from yesterday's fiasco, and towards the kitchen.

Sally was leaning against the kitchen counter, typing something into her mobile phone. She glanced upwards when she heard Percy coming, a small smile spreading across her lips. Her eyes held a distant sadness which made him wonder if everything was okay. Not for the first time, he was tempted to apply for a house in Camp Jupiter/New Rome and stop burdening his mother.

"Are you okay, Mom?" He asked carefully.

"Oh, Percy. Of course. I'm just worried." She shook her head. "It's nothing really."

"You know you can talk to me, Mom. You're always there for me, so you should let me be there for you."

"I'm your mother, Percy." She said simply with a proper smile. She touched his face with her fingertips before turning around and searching through the cupboards for a frying pan. "Do you want blue pancakes as usual?"

Percy put his hand on his mother's shoulder. "I'll make them, Mom."

Sally turned to face him with a grateful look. Hesistantly, she handed him the pan and sighed. "If you need my help, just let me know."

He nodded. "I will."

She kissed his cheek and headed back towards her bedroom, her shoulders drooping slightly. Percy could tell she was tired. He wondered if she'd spent the night awake worrying. That seemed like something she'd do. He prayed that it wasn't his fault.

With guilt swelling up in his chest, Percy turned his attention towards cooking. He swiftly created a pancake mix, dousing it with blue food colouring and pouring some into the frying pan. Within minutes, he had a decent sized pile of blue pancakes. He fetched two plates from the draining board, dished the pancakes out evenly and sprinkled them with sugar.

Feeling relatively proud of himself, Percy journied back to his bedroom, wondering if Nico was awake. If he wasn't, Percy would just eat his pancakes and make some more for him later.

When Percy slipped through the doorway carrying the two plates, he noticed Nico rubbing his eyes sleepily and struggling to sit himself upright. The door creaked and he peered in Percy's direction, staring through bleary eyes.

"Sorry I fell asleep on you. It won't happen again."

"Don't make promises you can't keep." Percy said lightly with a smile. He passed a plate of pancakes to his friend and sat at his desk chair. As he glanced back at Nico, he noticed the colour of his friend's cheeks had turned crimson, bright against the sickly shade his complexion held. "Honestly Nico, it's no big deal." He added softly, hoping to kill the other's embarassment. Nico stared at his pancakes.

"They're not poisonous, if that's what you're thinking." Percy laughed when he frowned. "It's just food colouring."

"I wasn't questioning the food; I've seen you eating blue foods of every sort. It's just, well, I don't know whether I can eat. I'm not hungry."

"A side effect of Thalidomide is loss of appetite." Percy offered. Nico's eyebrows furrowed with confusion. "I remember seeing, well, something on the side of the packet and I didn't sleep until late last night. I couldn't stop thinking. Eventually, I unscrambled the words in my brain until they made sense. Ugh, dyslexia can be really frustrating. Why can't demigods just read English as well? Why can they only read Greek or Latin?!"

"I can read Italian." Nico stated and Percy folded his arms, giving him a mock glare. The glare didn't hold long before a small smile spread across Percy's face.

"Please eat. It might help. And you look like you haven't eaten for months."

"Percy, I'm not hungry."

"Nico, please. I worry about you." Percy said and something flashed over Nico's face that Percy couldn't quite grasp. His gaze lowered to his pancakes and he scowled at them.

"Fine." He muttered, nibbling on his blue food.

"Thank you." Percy whispered. "I'll get some water for your medication."

/

"How are you feeling?" Percy asked, sitting down besides Nico on his bed. He'd recently got dressed, cleaned up the glass littering the floor, washed the pots from the morning and visited the shops for Sally. Nico had been left pretty much to himself, but he had changed into some clothes - a pair of black skinny jeans, a zombie killing shirt and, surprise, surprise, his worn aviator jacket - and he'd taken his medication.

Nico rubbed his eyes. "I'm tired as Tartarus, yet I can't sleep, my head feels like it's been trampled by a herd of centaurs and I have indigestion, but otherwise, I'm okay."

Percy looked at Nico sympathetically, wishing there was something he could do to help. He didn't know what he could do, other than make sure Nico took his medication, stayed away from the Underworld and was happy. If he could do nothing else, he could at least be there for him and give him a home. "Do you wanna do something today?"

"Sure."

"What do you wanna do?"

Nico stared at him blankly for a moment, processing what he'd been asked. No-one ever asked him what he wanted to do, just if he wanted to join them. It was actually very rare he ever did do something he wanted to do because he was constantly worrying about his friends or running errands for Hades or hiding in the underworld. He couldn't even remember the last time he'd done something he wanted to do.

"Um..." Nico tried to think of something, but his mind was blank. "What do you think?"

Percy smiled. "We could watch some movies, go for a walk somewhere, have a duel, go to the beach, swimming pools-" Percy's smile grew wider as he said those two suggestions, liking the sound of visiting water. Nevertheless, he continued, leaving it to Nico to decide. "Go skate-boarding, visit some shops, go to the cinema or-" A huge grin spread across Percy's face again, touching his eyes which sparkled-" you could teach me how to play Mythomagic."

Nico glared at his suggestion, crosssing his arms over his chest and giving him his meanest look. "I'm not going to teach you how to play Mythomagic."

"Damn." Percy said with a lopsided grin, slapping his knee. "I was really looking forward to learning."

"Shut up." Nico said through gritted teeth.

"Sorry." Percy mumbled, his expression falling. He was afraid that he'd hit a sore spot, given that Bianca lost her life getting Nico a Mythomagic figure and that he'd once been a huge dorky kid who only cared about Mythomagic. Guilt panged in his chest; he was the reason Nico was no longer a dorky kid and the reason Bianca died. It was his fault for not protecting her. His fault for not insisting he went inside the robot instead.

"It's not your fault." Nico said softly, reading Percy's face. "I'm sorry I ever blamed it on you." After a minute of silence, Nico realised that Percy had nothing more to say and spoke up again. "I don't really think I have the energy to do the majority of that stuff. How about we watch some movies?"

"Sure." Percy said, clambering off his bed and towards his shelves, delving through the pile of films to find one that Nico might enjoy. His face lit up when he passed his favourite film and, with a shrug, he snatched it up, deciding that Nico would just have to deal with it. Besides, he could even enjoy it.

Grabbing the laptop bag hidden in the corner - Sally had once bought him a laptop to use for watching movies, or the internet if he proceeded carefully - and he fished out his blue laptop. He set it up at the end of the bed, popping into the kitchen for a moment to find some popcorn or candy. When he returned, Nico was frowning at the film's cover.

"Finding Nemo?"

"Yeah, it's my favourite film." Percy beamed, ejecting the DVD port and placing the film inside. He slid the port back into it's place and dived on the bed beside Nico, offering his popcorn. The younger boy wrinkled his nose, feeling nauseous at the scent of it.

"I'll pass. Now let's see how good this film really is."

"You got it!" Percy grinned as he clicked play.

/

"That's your favourite film?" Nico asked, stifling a laugh, at the end of the film. He'd fidgeted throughout the whole film and, at one point, he even excused himself to the bathroom just for a reason to walk about.

"There's nothing wrong with it!" Percy said defensively.

"Is that why you don't eat fish?" Nico smiled, his eyes sparkling with humour.

"What?"

"Fish are friend, not food." Nico mocked. Percy pouted, crossing his arms over his chest. His eyebrows knitted into something like a scowl, but Percy couldn't pull off the ferocity of it.

"Yeah, that's pretty much it."

Nico laughed and the sound sent electricity up Percy's spine. He couldn't hold his frown any more. A guilty smile broke out across his face and his heart started pounding in his ears. He couldn't understand why he was reacting that way, but at the moment, he didn't care. He was too focused on the fact that Nico had just laughed - a genuine, easy laugh.

"What?" Nico asked, his cheeks heating with embarassment.

"Nothing." Percy smirked, glancing down at his keyboard. "Do you want to watch another film?"

"Please don't tell me there's a sequel to Finding Nemo!"

"There's not a sequel... yet."

Nico rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"I know what film we could watch next!" Percy said loudly, suddenly thinking of the perfect film to make Nico watch. Normally he wasn't fond on films including the Greeks, but he had one exception - Disney's Hercules. He'd met Hercules and he knew the hero was nothing like in the film, but he still loved it. He stifled a laugh as the image of that Hades popped into his head. The first time Percy had been confronted with Hades, he'd thought of his adaption in Hercules and had to stop himself from grinning.

"It's even got your Dad in it." Percy chuckled, nudging Nico with his elbow. Confusion washed over the latter's face and Percy's smile grew wider. "You'll see." He mumbled as he surfed through his documents and found the correct folder. Opening it, he quickly found Hercules and double-clicked on the file. The film popped onto the screen and Nico immediately frowned at the opening song.

"You're not going to sing along, are you?"

"Why, of course."

/

"If there's a prize for rotten judgement." Percy began singing and Nico put his face in his hands. "I guess I've already won that. No man is worth the aggravation. That's ancient history, been there, done that."

"Really, Percy?! Do you have to sing?" Nico frowned, propping himself upright on his elbows and glancing sideways at Percy.

"Yup!" Percy grinned. Nico rolled his eyes and they both turned their eyes back to the screen. Swaying his shoulders and nodding his head, Percy began singing again.

"No chance, no way, I won't say it. No, no. You swoon, you sigh, why deny it, uh-oh."

"Oh gods."

/

"What did you think?" Percy asked with a grin.

"I'm not going to deny it, Hades and Hercules were pretty funny, especially as we know what they're actually like." Nico said softly. "Though I don't know what I have to say about your singing."

"Don't deny it, you loved my singing." Percy beamed cheekily. "You wanna watch another film?"

"Sure."

/

"Percy, are you crying?" 

"No." Percy shouted defensively, scowling at Nico with tears streaming down his face. They were watching Lion King and Mufasa had just died. Nico had to bite his inner lip to prevent himself from laughing. He couldn't help it. The thought of Percy crying over something so small just amused him.

"I'm sure he'll be alright, Percy."   
  
"That doesn't make it any less sad."

/

"Oh no, more singing." Nico sighed as Percy jumped up onto the bed, dancing stupidly as he kicked his arms and legs about.

"Hakuna Matata! What a wonderful phrase! Hakuna Matata! Ain't no passing craze! It means no worries for the rest of your days."  
  
"Oh, I'm sure it does."

/

"Wasn't that a great film?" Percy grinned, leaning on his side to face Nico. Nico sighed, rolling his eyes.

"Let me guess, we're gonna watch more Disney films."   
  
"Is there any better way to spend a day?" 

"Yes." Nico said bluntly, though in his head he was questioning it. The films weren't what he'd watch in his spare time, but he was desperately trying to cover up the fact he was actually enjoying them. That, and he loved the smile on Percy's face. He loved the way his eyes danced with happiness and he sang along. Maybe he was dying, but he couldn't deny that today had been one of the best days of his life. Maybe his life would end shortly, but he could think of no better way to spend his last days than with Percy. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, and a few things:  
> I'm not going to pretend I know what having Myeloma, or any cancer in fact, is like. Everything I write is based on the research I've done about the cancer and things that I've read. I have no idea what it feels like to have pain in your bones, but I certainly can't imagine it to be pleasant. I tried to describe things as how I'd imagine it to be. Also, the cancer inside Nico is new and untreated which is why he's in so much pain. I imagine that when the cancer is new, and not properly treated, it is incredibly painful and exhausting, identical to every other new and untreated illness. It's often the same with wounds. So no, Nico won't be constantly like this, but he will sometimes, especially now as it is untreated.  
> Also, if you haven't noticed by now, I'm British. That means I'll use British terms and British spellings and sometimes British food. I'm sorry if that's confusing at any point, but it's not exactly something I can help.  
> I also figured that demigods say 'Tartarus' instead of 'Hell'


	3. Medication and Dedication

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Will it make you feel better if I swear on the River Styx?" Percy asked slowly, releasing his grip on Nico's wrist.
> 
> "Swear what?"
> 
> "I, Perseus Jackson, swear on the River Styx that I will continue to stay by Nico's side and aid him until he beats his cancer or otherwise." Percy said proudly, holding his hand over his chest like he was reciting a code of honour. "Feel better?"
> 
> A small smile cracked across Nico's face. It wasn't much more than the slight upturn of the corners of his lips, but it was something. "Actually, I do."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good evening my lovely demigods and mortals :3 So, it's my birthday today xD To celebrate, I wrote the third chapter and uploaded it immediately, just because I love you guys so much :3 
> 
> Thank you guys for the continued support through kudos, bookmarks, comments and hits. It really means a lot to me.
> 
> Sorry for any and all grammar, spelling and punctuation errors. Correcting them or pointing them out would be very much appreciated. I'm also really sorry if they're out of character at all.

The day had passed with nothing but films with Nico's cancer quietly destroying his body. No symptoms were visible and the pain in his bones didn't return again. Not until way past midnight when Percy was passed out on the sofa and Nico was supposedly sleeping peacefully. He had been sleeping peacefully until a dull pain in his spinal bone had sharply roused him awake. 

Agonising screams caught in his throat as he coiled over, hunching his back over his knees. He wrapped his arms around his legs, cradling his body, crying into his own skin. The pain in his back was blinding. He couldn't tear his mind away from it. He couldn't think of anything else. He couldn't even bring himself to scream for help.

Nico's eyes were squeezed tightly shut and his whole body trembled. His jaw was clenched and his fists grasping so tightly onto the edge of his pyjamas that his knuckles had turned white. Nothing he'd ever felt before could compare to the pain. Not the pain of loving Percy, nor the pain of being in that jar, or being stabbed or even Tartarus. This pain was constant. Merciless. Inescapable. And it would lead him to his death. No matter how hard he pushed to get through, he would die in the end and there was nothing anyone could do to prevent it.

He was in this position for hours, crying out for help in his mind, but no-one could hear him. Nico was stranded and helpless, left to this pain like a meal for vultures. He couldn't even fight it. In the end, he eventually slipped into a dreamless sleep, exhausted from the exposure.

/

Nico propped himself up against the headboard hours later, awoken by the morning light shining through the window. He rubbed the sleep from his bleary eyes and ran his fingers through his tousled hair, dragging out the knots. His bones ached and his eyes stung, but it was nothing compared to the pain he'd experienced last night, or was it this morning? Every last bit of his energy had been zapped from inside of him, yet he was too restless to sleep. To make matters worse, his nightmares were starting to reappear and they made sleeping unbearable. 

The door slowly slipped open and Percy peeked inside. His eyes widened with confusion and he cocked his head slightly, reminding Nico of a puppy dog. 

"You're up?" He stated, making it sound like a question and he walked through the door. Percy was dressed in dorky Finding Nemo pyjamas. His hair was a wavy mess above his head and his sea-green eyes were blinking rapidly to keep open. A sleepy smile hung on his lips and Nico could feel his heart hammering in his chest. 

"I haven't been able to sleep much." Nico muttered, absent-mindedly touching his face. He could feel the dried tears from the night before and he automatically tried to cover it up before Percy noticed. He didn't need Percy knowing about his condition. He didn't need Percy to worry. As a matter of fact, he didn't even want Percy. Granted, yesterday had been incredible, spending so much time with the one boy whose attention he'd fought for, but he couldn't spend more time with him. It was killing him. Percy's presence was intoxicating and he'd rather not hurt the older boy by allowing him to get close.

"Are you alright, Nico?" Percy asked gently.

"What?" 

"You just seem... I don't know... Sad?" 

"I'm fine." 

"Are you sure?" 

"Why does it matter? Why do you care?" Nico asked carefully, raising his voice as his temper increased. He was losing his ability to remain calm rapidly. 

"Because I care about you." 

"Don't lie to me, Percy! When the fuck have you ever cared?! Never. You never even gave me a second damn glance. You were too fucking wrapped up in your stupid girlfriend. You're so fucking blind. You've hurt me time after time, broken promise after promise. You're the reason Bianca is fucking dead. Gone. Forever. And you're gonna have the guts to pretend you care now. No, fuck you. I don't need you, Percy. Maybe I can't look after myself, but I don't need you to treat me like a baby and get my hopes up to fucking let me down at my most vulnerable moment. In my condition, I need someone who's going to be consistant and keep their promises, not fuck off when things get too tough. That's what you always do, Percy. Just fuck off. I'm not fine. I'm not alright. I'm not okay. I haven't been okay since Bianca died. I haven't been okay since you fucking broke my heart into ten billion pieces." Nico vented, weakly pounding his fist against Percy's headboard as he turned away from him. His eyebrows were furrowed and his expression full of pure anger. With his last words, his hatred and energy died. He buried his face into his hands and sat there for a long time, not speaking, not thinking, not crying. Percy stood motionlessly, too shocked to move.

Finally, the cogs in Percy's brain sprang back into motion and he moved towards Nico. He opened his mouth and closed it again, thinking about his words before speaking them. Kneeling before Nico, he took one of his wrists and waiting until the younger boy glanced up. "I've always cared, Nico, I just haven't always been great at showing it. It's hard to keep up with everything, to battle the constant venom and hatred you shove in my direction. I don't understand you, Nico, but I'm trying to. And I'm going to stay here for you. I'm going to be dedicated and not leave you when things get tough. If I've ever before done such a thing, I'm so sorry. It's never been my intention. And promises are hard to keep, Nico, especially when the other person is fighting them and is stubborn."

Nico stared at Percy for a moment before whispering, "I'm sorry, Percy. It's not your fault Bianca died. I just need reasons to blame you for the pain without revealing..." He trailed off. "Forget it." 

"Will it make you feel better if I swear on the River Styx?" Percy asked slowly, releasing his grip on Nico's wrist.

"Swear what?"

"I, Perseus Jackson, swear on the River Styx that I will continue to stay by Nico's side and aid him until he beats his cancer or otherwise." Percy said proudly, holding his hand over his chest like he was reciting a code of honour. "Feel better?"

A small smile cracked across Nico's face. It wasn't much more than the slight upturn of the corners of his lips, but it was something. "Actually, I do." 

/

Nico pulled his aviator jacket up to his face, burying his nose into the neck for comfort. He cuddled it to his chest, hoping to calm his nerves. He and Percy were in the waiting room at the local clinic, anxiously awaiting for Nico to be called. 

"It'll be alright." Percy said softly. He reached over and squeezed Nico's shoulder, twisting his lips upwards. His smile was strained and Nico could plainly see how unsure Percy was. It really didn't help his nerves.

"Right. Um, thanks." Nico muttered, resting his gaze back on his jacket. He picked at the worn leather, retracing the old cracks where he'd previously scratched at it. It had always been a bad habit of his. When Bianca was alive, she'd been forever chiding him for destroying her jacket. 

The overhead LED device beeped, catching Nico's attention. Red writing scrawled across, moving at a quickened pace. They read 'Nico di Angelo - Room 7'. 

"Come on." Percy said, jumping to his feet. "I think Dr. Bathers is ready to see you now." 

Nico nodded, his grip around his jacket tightening as he stumbled to his feet. He followed Percy through some corridors towards the correct room, fighting the urge to run. If he bolted now, he wouldn't have to go along with this. There were plenty of shadows in the halls. Maybe he could dissolve into them, disappearing to the underworld where no-one could reach him. His whole mind was screaming in protest as he forced himself to pass the shadows and continue towards the doctor's office. No matter how much he wanted to run, he couldn't do that to Percy. He couldn't abandon him like that, or make him worry, especially after he'd made that promise.

"Hello, is it Nico?" A deep voice asked carefully as Percy walked into the office. The voice was thick with a foreign accent and strong with confidence. Nico watched Percy shake his head and he timidly stepped inside. His eyes immediately rested on a set of long needles and his face paled. Panic closed tightly around his throat and he felt like him was choking. Shaking, Nico tore his eyes away and focused on the Doctor who was now addressing him.

"You must be Nico then." The Doctor said with a huge smile. His skin was deeply tanned and his hair close-cropped. Stubble lined his chin and his clothes were smooth and smart.

"Yeah." Nico said shakily. Percy gave him a reassuring glance and placed his hand on the younger boy's shoulder. 

"Please, take a seat." 

Nico edged towards the chairs the Doctor pointed at, sitting down swiftly and bringing his jacket back to his face. He smelled the fabric, closing his eyes and smiling at the scent of coffee and fire. It was a strange mixture, but it made him think of Bianca; she'd often drank coffee when she sat by the fire wearing her jacket. 

He opened his eyes again, taking a deep breath and staring at his feet. Nico could feel Percy's gaze on him and he wondered if the latter was as nervous as he was. He could feel his knees knocking together and he wished that he could rid himself of his fear. He'd always hated visiting the Doctor and he hated needles even more. Of all the fears he could have had, it had to be something as simple as needles.

"So Nico," The doctor began simply. "How have you been?" 

"I've been diagonosed with cancer, how do you think I've been?" Nico snarled, scowling at his shoes. The Doctor laughed throatily and Nico imagined him clutching his stomach like Santa Claus.

"Let's get to the point then. We're going to take some of your blood then you're going to have to wait for the medication to be made up. We aim to keep waiting to a minimum, but it can take between 30 minutes and a few hours." 

Nico nodded, still refusing to glance upwards. He pressed his nose deeper into his jacket, searching for the comfort he desperately needed. He wasn't stupid; he knew that the Doctor would need to use a needle to take his blood. Even just the thought of it made him dizzy. His head was spinning and a sickly lump forming in his throat. 

"It's going to be alright." Percy whispered gently, taking one of Nico's hands and squeezing it. Nico's heart pounded rapidly in his ears as he jerked away. He buried his face completely into the coat's fluffy lining, hoping to hide the colour of his cheeks. No matter how hard he tried, even now, he couldn't push away his feelings for Percy. He couldn't make them disappear or vanish. They were there. They would always be there. And he hated it. 

"This won't hurt a bit." The Doctor said, stating it like a fact though it could be seen to be a matter of opinion. What if it did hurt. What if Nico couldn't handle it. What if he panicked and summoned the dead? What if.

Nico heard the Doctor - Dr Bathers, that was his name - rummage around for a few supplies before moving towards him. "Please place your arm out. You can take your brother, or is it your boyfriend's, hand with your other if you wish." 

"What?" Nico squeaked. He could feel his face reaching a million degrees. "He's not my boyfriend." 

"Just a friend." Percy said softly. Nico was surprised to find, when he glanced at him, that Percy looked indifferent. His face was still the same tan colour and his smile was light. He didn't look embarassed at all. "I couldn't let him come alone."

"Ah." Dr Bathers said. "My apologies. Now please hold your arm out."

Nico shakily drew his arm away from his jacket and held it out towards Dr Bathers. He stared at the blue veins visible through his translucent skin and cringed. He wanted to recoil and hide again. He didn't want to get his blood taken. He couldn't.

Dr Bathers pressed his hands onto Nico's arm and his shoulders hunched at the cold feel of the plastic gloves. The Doctor pulled out a cotton bud and dabbed it against the inside of his elbow, causing the sick boy to flinch every single time. A numbness spread slowly through his arm and, not for the last time, Nico wanted to shadow-travel away. A sensse of dread and fear was tugging at his gut and he had to repress the urge to throw up.

The Doctor reached for a small needle attached to a long tube and a bag. He carefully brought it towards Nico arm and he paled, though it barely seemed possible, his bottom lip trembling. He couldn't tear his eyes away from the needle - a long, pointing thing that was going to be injected in his arm and steal his blood - and a tight knot formed in his chest. His breaths came slow and shaky, full of terror.

Percy, who had been watched him anxiously, noticed Nico's distress and, without thinking much of it, entertwined his finger's with the latter's. The younger boy's eyes shifted rapidly and he stared at their hands, confused and bewildered. His shock caused him to momentarily forget about the needle until the Doctor announced that it was over.

"That was it?" Nico asked, his voice hoarse and scratchy. Fear was still plaguing his heart. He couldn't help but imagine the Dr Bathers bringing out one of those larger needles and jabbing it forcefully into his arm. That, however, did not happen.

"You may return to the waiting room whilst we run some test and make up the medicine. Thank you." Dr Bathers said, wiping the smear of blood from Nico's arm with a cotton bud and gathering up his equipment. 

Nico nodded his head, trembling slightly as he stumbled to his feet. He stood motionless for a second, realising that Percy's hand was still in his. His cheeks heated and he quickly pulled away, wrapping his arms tightly around his jacket. Without even glancing back, he hurried towards the door, slipping through it rapidly, and down to the waiting room.

/

"How long have we been waiting for now?" Percy asked impatiently. He jumped to his feet, paced backwards and forwards for a moment before sitting back down. His feet were tapping against the floor and he obviously couldn't keep himself still.

"Two minutes."

"What?" Percy gasped, throwing himself to his feet again. He'd been sat around for the majority of the day so Nico couldn't blame him for his actions. They both had ADHD, Percy worse than Nico, and it was always hard on them when they had to sit around for extended hours.

"How about you get some coffee?" Nico asked. It was the best, and first, thing he could think of that would give Percy something to do. 

"Sure." Percy hurried away, stuffing his hands in his pocket. Nico watched him leave. He was thankful that Percy had joined him here, but he felt guilty. He felt like was burdening him and that was the last thing Nico wanted to do. 

/

"Do you wanna listen to my iPod with me?" Percy asked, offering Nico an earphone. He'd recently finished his coffee, disposed of the cup, wandered around the clinic in search of a toilet before returning again. He was leaning casually against the arm rest closest to Nico and he had his shiny blue iPod nano in his hand.

"You're not going to play Disney songs are you?" 

"Maybe." Percy said innocently. 

"Whatever." Nico sighed, biting his lip to keep away a smile and taking the earphone. "What are we going to listen to first?" 

"That's a surprise." 

/

"Percy, stop singing." Nico hissed, forcing his expression into a frown. He wanted to laugh at Percy goofiness, but he also didn't want the older demigod to know how much he enjoyed his singing. And his dancing. And his presence. Even with the Disney music. 

"Make me." Percy smirked. He clicked the middle button as he selected a new song. His shoulders started shaking in time to the music and he swayed. His grin widened as the lyrics came and he started singing. "You better run, run, run, here we come. Revving our engines under the sun. You're cruisin' for a bruising." 

Nico put his hand to his mouth as he stifled a laughter, grateful for the lack of other people in the waiting room. The only other two in the room were watching Percy with wonder and astonishment, but the older boy obviously didn't care. He was completely drawn into the song and having fun. 

"Keeping it cool, smooth and steady. Slick back hair-" he ran his fingers through his hair-" man, things are getting heavy. You're cruisin' for a bruising. Two wheels and an open road, wrapped in leather-" Percy pointed at Nico's jacket and the latter clutched it to his chest protectively, watching his friend with amusement- "ready to go. Don't stop, stop the music. We ride fast like a bullet. We do anything we want, any time we want." 

/

"Tranquil as a forest, but on fire within. Once you find your center, you are sure to win." Percy sang, not even listening to the music, but getting it perfectly on time. He was in the middle of the waiting room, dancing around and pulling off fighting moves. Nico tried not to laugh as he watched him, thankful that Percy was here with him. If he hadn't been distracted by the constant singing and dancing of his friend, he'd be on the edge of panic attack. 

"You're a spineless, pale, pathetic lot and you haven't got a clue. Somehow I'll make a man-" he pointed to Nico, grinning lopsidedly- "out of you." 

"Gee, thanks." 

/

"I believe we all have a soulmate. A chance for a perfect duet." Percy sang, sitting back in his seat and leaning into Nico. Nico's heart was thudding in his ears and his hands were starting to shake. He'd rarely been so close to Percy - the older boy's face was only centimetres away - and it was almost intoxicating. Nico rubbed his sweating palms together, trying to distract himself. He just prayed that his face was the colour of a beetroot, though there was 

"I believe in hopeless devotion - I just haven't found her yet. But in my mind I see the chick who is meant for me." Percy sprang to his feet, throwing his arms in the air. "She'll be someone who is lovely. Someone wonderful and true. The kind of boy who makes you smile even when you're feeling blue."

"You're gonna sing both parts?" Nico asked, watching as Percy switched between the two voices. 

"Why, of course." 

/

"Reindeers are better than people. Nico, don't you think that's true?" Percy grinned, sitting down beside Nico once more. The younger boy smiled at him, unable to keep it off his face. "Yeah, people will beat you and curse you and cheat you. Every one of them's bad, except you." 

"Awh, thanks buddy." Nico mouthed, knowing what would come next. They'd watched Frozen the day before and they'd listened to it four times in the waiting room. Percy's eyes danced as he noticed Nico do it and the latter blushed; he'd got caught in the act.

"But people smell better than reindeers." 

"No kidding." 

"Don't ruin it, Nico." Percy chided, mock frowning.

/

"Nico di Angelo?" A tall woman dressed in a nurse's uniform called out as she entered the room. Her eyes rested on Nico and Percy and she smiled. It was obviously fake. "Follow me."

Relunctantly, the two boys followed the nurse. They passed the corridor that lead to Dr Bathers office and a sense of dread started tugging at Nico's chest. Something felt... off. Something wasn't right.

The nurse lead them down another hallway and opened the door to a room. "In there." She smiled, brushing hair from her eyes. Nico's hands started trembling and he glanced at Percy for reassurance. The older boy acted like there wasn't anything wrong. They shuffled into the room together and was greeted by a beaming Dr Bathers.

"Here is your medication, Nico." He said enthusiastically, passing Nico a small box. "Take these for three weeks then return for another cycle. There's some side effects that may come to pass, including nausea, vomiting, hair loss and fatigue, but these are all normal. A small price to pay for the destruction of cancer." 

"Thank you." Nico said, but he didn't mean it. How could he ever thank this guy? He didn't even care about Nico, he was just pretending. It was all fake.   
"Can I ask you something?" Nico whispered hoarsely, speaking rapidly before he backed out of it. The Doctor nodded and he continued. "Before this was a clinic, what was it?" 

"That depends on the time period. It's been an apartment, a park, a shop, a clinic and once upon a time, a long time ago, a graveyard. Is there any reason why?" 

"Just wondering." Nico muttered and turned, quickly fleeing from the room. Percy kept up his pace beside him, walking down the halls in a comfortable silence. Finally, he spoke.

"You knew that place was a graveyard once, didn't you?" 

"I had a sense of dread... Like something was wrong. At first I thought that nurse was a monster. I just... I wanted to make sure my-" he stopped, spitting out the next word- "cancer wasn't affecting my demigod senses." 

/

Nico sighed as he leaned back against the headboard of Percy's bed. He'd just taken his medication and he was exhausted. Though it was barely 6 o'clock in the afternoon, Percy had insisted that he go to bed. It was probably a good idea too because Nico was almost certain he was going to fall asleep. 

"If you want to sleep, go ahead." Percy said with a smile, reading Nico's mind or probably his expression. "I'll come check on you later and make you something to eat then."

"Thank you, Percy."

"No problem."

"No, really, Percy. Thank you."

Percy met Nico's eyes and smiled lightly. "Really, Nico, it's no problem."

**Author's Note:**

> I plan to update this at least once a week, but I can't make any promises as my exams are coming up soon, starting April, and I'm already busy enough as is. Hopefully I'll be able to make time for writing though.


End file.
